I had a chance to be in Clearwater this weekend on personal business, actually was there to finalize arrangements for my daughter’s wedding in May at the Clearwater Beach Hilton.  The Hilton is right on the beach and is a great place to stay for Spring Training, it is also next to the Palm Pavillion which is a known local hang out for many Phillie players during Spring Training as well.

  While I was in town I swung down to the Carpenter Complex to see if the store was open in hopes of working a deal to get my book on display for spring training!  The store was closed but I stumbled accross Fantasy Camp in full bloom!

The Phillies have a fantasy camp each January at the complex for fans like myself that want to “play ball like a big leaguer”.   I actually attended the camp some 14 years ago when I was 35 and had a blast!  You get to play games against other campers, get “coached” by ex Phillies and at the end of the week play a “fantasy game” against the ex phils at the stadium. 

My wife, daughter and I walked down to Carpenter Complex from the stadium and took a look around, we found old Phillie heroes like Mitch Williams, Larry Anderson, Kevin Stocker, Warren Brusstar, Gary Matthews, Dave Cash, Dickie Noles, etc.   My daughter got her picture taken with Kevin Stocker which was cool!

You could tell that the folks participating in the camp were having a great time,  I would definitely recommend it to any Phillie fan who wants the experience of playing with old heroes !

Chatter

According to recent rumors the Fightins are looking at Ty Wigginton and Rich Aurillia as potential right handed bats off the bench.   They are both good hitters, Wigginton is a true gamer and would be an especially good addition!

On the historic day of the swearing in of our 44th President of the United States Major League Baseball players eligible for salary arbitration exchanged figures with the major league clubs they play for.  Ryan Howard submitted a new record number as he asked the abitrator to award him a salary of $18 million dollars for the 2009 season, the Phillies countered with an offer of $14 million.  Jayson Werth and Chad Durbin were the other two Phillies that failed to reach agreement on a contract before the abritration deadline.   Werth asked for $4 million per year while the Phillies offered $3 million.  Durbin requested  $1.975 million while the Phillies countered with $1.375.

Shane Victorino and Joe Blanton settled on one year deals prior to the deadline.  Victorino will receive $3.125 million while Blanton will get $5.475 million.

Howard is the most intriguing case and will certainly garnish the most discussion.  My thoughts are that if Mark Texeira is worth the over $20 million per year the Yankees spent on him the Mr. Howard is a bargain at $18 million!   Howard has led the majors in home runs and RBI’s twice in his short career, has been a MVP and carried the club on his back for the stretch run last year in earning a championship.   TIme will tell what the abitrator awards but I think that big Ryan has a very good shot at getting his number!

Chatter

What a proud day to be an American!  The inaugriation of a new President is always a special day but the historic day of January 20, 2009 will forever be special.   I am a huge fan of our 44th president Mr. Obama and am indeed very excited of the path he will lead us forward on!  God bless the United States for the unity that has been shown over the last few days and the forthcoming nature of our new commander in chief!  We are on the right and proper path now fellow Americans and we have the right man for the job!  Let’s share in his exuberience and willingness to address hard pressing issues and support him in his endeavors, a huge huge day for all in the world !   God bless our collective spirit and President Obama in this challenging time!

Rumor has it that the Phils were willing to trade Brett Myers in order to clear payroll space to make a run at signing Derek Lowe.   I am not sure I like that logic if indeed true, how bout now making a run at big Ben Sheets ?  Sheets is apparently asking for $9 million per year, if so then he is out of the Phillies bounds but if willing to take a three year deal similiar to Cole Hamels he may indeed be an option!

Pitchers and catchers report to Clearwater in less than 30 days as the Fightin’s prepare to defend the 2008 world series title!   The team announced a minor league signing of an additional utility player in Pablo Ozuna.  Ozuna will be a non-roster invitee to spring training, he has major league experience and can play both infield and outfield. 

The team avoided arbitration with Greg Dobbs as the super pinch hitter signed a two year deal worth $2.5 million plus incentives.  Ryan Madson, however, turned down a multi year offer from the team and seems intent on testing the free agent market after the upcoming season. 

The next couple of weeks should be interesting in regards to contract finalizations as the team will attempt to settle on deals with multiple players including Ryan Howard, Jayson Werth, Shane Victorino, Joe Blanton and Cole Hamels.

I get the chance to see the World Series trophy up close and personal tommorrow evening as I have tickets to attend a banquet where it will be displayed!  Mitch Williams will be the guest speaker at the event.

NFL Chatter

The Eagles travel to Arizona this sunday to tackle the Cardinals in the NFC Championship game.  I pick the Eagles to win the game and advance to the Super Bowl!   I think the Baltimore Ravens will defeat the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC title game setting up the “Turnpike Bowl” between the two defensive stalwarts!

GO EAGLES!!!!

As spring training approaches in February General Manager Ruben Amaro and his staff are hard at work regarding filling out the bench for the defending champs.  The team is top heavy with left handed bench strength as Greg Dobbs, Geoff Jenkins and Matt Stairs all swing from the left side.  Eric Bruntlett and either Chris Coste or Ronny Paulino would represent pinch hitting potential from the right side.   The team did recently sign Marcus Giles to a minor league deal but he is coming off a year of inactivity.

Rumor has it that the team is at least discussing the possibility of Nomar Garciaparra or Gabe Kapler as potential right hand hitters off the bench.  Kapler could also spell either Raul Ibanez or Shane Victorino in the outfield as needed.  Garciaparra would have to accept a far more limited role than he has even had in recent years with the Dodgers.   Personally I would be pleased with either option and am glad to see the team is working on giving skipper Manual some right handed options to consider.

Chatter

Derek Lowe apparently has met in recent days with the Atlanta Braves who appear to be very interested in his services especially in light of John Smoltz going to the Red Sox, previous reports stated that the Mets were also seeking to sign him.  Depending on what you read the Phils are also at least interested in Lowe and monitoring the situation.   I would love to see Lowe in the Phillies rotation next year and if they were able to sign him would put them, at least on paper, in clear control of winning their third straight division title!  Having him sign with either the Braves or Mets is not a show stopper in that regard but having him with us would be a definite plus!

NFL Chatter

I know this is a baseball blog but being a Philly fan I can’t help but put my two cents in on this weekend’s playoff games.  I am strongly rooting for my Eagles to stomp those little Giants from New York!   I don’t know why but I have a feeling that the Arizona Cardinals will beat the Carolina Panthers tommorrow night.  I also think the Ravens and Steelers come out victorious however I don’t discount those San Diego Chargers to provide a potential upset over those Stillers!

J.C. Romero has been suspended by Major League Baseball for 50 games for negligence regarding the use of a banned substance.  This penalty has been rendered despite that fact that Romero was guided by the players union that the supplement he purchased and used in August was not on the MLB list of illegal substances.  He also checked with a trainer of the Phillies team and his own nutritionist, both whom confirmed to him that it was not an illegal substance.  The team trainer sent a sample of the supplement to MLB which then told the Phillies that the substance should not be used, Romero stopped using the supplement at that time.

What is odd here is that all parties agree that they were negligent in the instructions given to the player, Romero, but only the player is being penalized!  This has the same stench as the “steroid era” of baseball where MLB turned a blind eye while the likes of Bonds, Sosa and McGwire used supplements to bring the game back to national prominence but when push came to shove MLB placed all the blame on the players!  I realize that the game was embarrassed by Congresss in regards to lack of policies or enforcement regarding performance enhancements and that indeed the game has strengthened the rules and compliance thereto but this is a case where a group mistake was made and it seems that once again the player is being made the sole scapegoat.

J.C. Romero is not a player that purposedly used steroids to enhance his performance and attempted to hide such usage  but rather a player who purchased and used a supplement that he inquired about being within the boundaries of acceptance and was told he was compliant!  Where is the justice to penalize him ?   There is no appeal process here so Romero must sit out the 50 games he has been suspended albeit an unfair justice.

Chatter

The Phillies have signed Marcus Giles to a minor league contract.  Giles sat out last season after failing to make the Colorado Rockies opening day roster.  If he makes the Phillies roster he will be asked to help fill in for Chase Utley while he recovers from off season hip surgery.  In regards to filling the roster spot for Romero the team indicates it will do so within rather than spend on a free agent.  While some fans like me would like the team to pursue and sign Derek Lowe I doubt that they are in play to do so, Lowe is a Scott Boras client which means the endless pursuit of money, money and more money…… with the Fightins tasked with major arbitration settlements forthcoming I don’t see them in the mix to offer Lowe what his agent Boras thinks he is worth….. my guess is that he will end up with the Mets at some point.